Support Us

Become a Mentor

Biomimicry is an inherently multidisciplinary field of practice, which often requires collaboration among individuals with different areas of expertise. Given that most of the teams that enter the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge are students or early-stage startups, many find additional support from a mentor to be beneficial to their learning and project development.

What we are looking for in a mentor:

Individuals interested in becoming a mentor do not necessarily have to have a biomimicry background. We are looking for folks that are naturalists, biologists, engineers, designers, businessmen and women. Each team that enters the Challenge faces unique stumbling blocks and we strive to offer a diverse mentor pool to assist with the varying challenges different teams face.

Since the BGDC is global, we are open to and encourage mentor applications from anywhere on Earth!

How it works:

Once you have emailed us for a mentor application (see below) and completed your application, you will receive an email to activate your account and finish setting up your profile. We will be in touch within a week regarding the status of your application. If you’ve been accepted, your profile will appear in our mentor directory where registered BGDC participants will be able to learn more about you and your availability and can send you a message through the Challenge site. From there, you and the team that has contacted you can decide upon best form of communication, from email to Skype calls to phone calls or even meeting in person.

Time commitment:

The time commitment you provide as a mentor is entirely up to you. From a few hours a month to a few hours a week, you can decide how much time you’re able to invest.

Sponsor the Challenge or a Prize

The Biomimicry Global Design Challenge helps to create a whole new generation of creative designers and problem solvers. Help us support these inspirational innovators, whether in the form of a prize or general support. Contact challenge@biomimicry.org for details.

Share a Resource

Do you have a resource that will help our teams better understand the challenges and opportunities of climate change? Can you support a Challenge team in your community with funding or access to experts? Do you have a tool to help our teams assess the potential carbon impact of their designs? If you have a resource to share, please contact us.

Serve as a Judge

Our Challenge judges come from a variety of backgrounds representing expertise in biomimicry, climate change, the built environment, engineering, design, business, policy, and more. If you are committed to the vision of a world in harmony with nature, want to be inspired by new ideas, and offer valuable feedback to young designers and entrepreneurs, consider joining us by applying here.

Help us Spread the Word

Reach out to your networks, students, colleagues, friends, and potential teammates, with social media blurbs, graphics, and sample copy here. If you have outreach ideas or would like more information, please contact media@biomimicry.org.

Teach with the Challenge

We've found that design challenges are an excellent way to teach and learn biomimicry. Hands-on and project­-oriented, team challenges help students develop research, collaboration, and critical thinking skills, and biomimicry itself provides a new way for students to engage with biology, engineering, and design topics. Challenge topics focus on critical real ­world problems that can also help educators situate their teaching in the context of important social and environmental issues.